Freddie Burns has dismissed as “nonsense” speculation that Todd Blackadder was facing the sack as Bath’s director of rugby following a player revolt after the defeat against Bristol on the opening night.

Bath go into the fourth round of matches next weekend fourth in the table after coming from 21 points down to draw with Gloucester before securing a bonus-point victory against Harlequins at the Stoop on Saturday.

The club’s owner, Bruce Craig, is not renowned for his patience with his directors of rugby. Blackadder, the former New Zealand flanker who took over at Bath in 2016 after Mike Ford was sacked, has a year left on his contract and the England fly-half Burns expects him to see it out.

“It is just nonsense really,” Burns said after the 37-32 victory at Quins. “Everyone’s pretty happy. There is frustration in the group that we gave Gloucester 21 points last week, but everyone is looking to improve. Todd is our director of rugby and it does not see that anything is happening. We will have a few beers on the bus as a playing and coaching group and everything is roses.”

Leicester sacked Matt O’Connor as head coach two days after the start of the season as the club’s board sifted over the ruins of a heavy defeat at Exeter and former Bath players were highly critical of the performance at Bristol, prompting the speculation over Blackadder’s future.

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“I do not know where this stuff is coming from, but it is all lies,” Blackadder said. “It is all external stuff. Internally it has been really good. We are cracking on and ignoring that is being said outside. It would be really interesting if someone actually stumped up the facts. If they believe it’s true, then prove it. Someone must know better than me.”

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The England head coach, Eddie Jones, announces his squad for a training camp in Bristol on Thursday. The Bath wing Joe Cokanisaga made a case for a recall with two tries at Quins, his first for his new club after a summer move from London Irish. Wing is a position of interest for Jones with Chris Ashton suspended until the beginning of the November international series.

“I thought he was sensational,” Blackadder said. “It was not only his finishing but his work rate off the ball and his carries. He is big and strong and has a great off-load. He showed that he has some special qualities.”